App Picks - August 2026
From planning a trip to watching your savings
August is usually a big month for apps, when developers are busy preparing major updates or something entirely new. This edition of App Picks had the most submissions yet - thank you. It's why six apps feature this month, which wasn't easy. But that doesn't mean yours won't - it may be next month or the one after - keep them coming.
However, I've started to receive app-related emails generated with AI. How have I noticed? Similar opening lines and formatting, as well as sentences towards the end that reference something completely different. With the kindest suggestion, write these yourself. Shout about why your app stands out and how it'll help someone.
Anyway, as it's August, you're likely about to go on vacation/holiday soon, and some of the six apps below could help you out - from managing what's been packed to checking an upcoming gig.
September's App Picks will feature the biggest list of apps yet to mark Apple’s '27’ software release cycle - which means it's a great opportunity for someone to sponsor Springboard. If you'd like something to stand out in one of the biggest months for apps, as Jiiiii did back in June, get in touch.
WarrantyHub
When you think of tracking apps, you're likely thinking of delivery apps or Apple's Find My, which can help you see where your devices are. But WarrantyHub, created by Ranjith Kumar Vanaparthi, helps you track anything you've bought that's got a warranty.
It's available for free on compatible iPhones, and offers a paid subscription that lets you save as many products as you want in the app, along with other features for $1.99 / £1.99 a month or $14.99 / £14.99 a year with a three-day trial. The layout is easy enough to use, letting you add devices with plenty of detail, such as their purchase date, serial number, where it was bought from, and much more.
WarrantyHub gets straight to the point by solving an issue that usually strikes when a device's warranty runs out. However, it would be good to add a widget to the home screen to keep track of your devices, and I'm not sure why there's a 'Tasks' tab, which gets away from the objective of WarrantyHub. Nevertheless, it's a very useful app, especially if you have plenty of devices with active warranties.
StayAwake Clamshell
Need to render a 4K video or download a huge file on your MacBook, but you'd rather keep the lid closed? That's what StayAwake Clamshell does so well, developed by Kenta (Mio Shoten). Recently, I've been reviewing a Retroid handheld, and in order to put it through its paces, I've had to download some games to see just how well the device runs them. But with 5GB per game, I'd rather queue them up overnight with my MacBook shut.
When I enabled StayAwake Clamshell via the menubar, I put the laptop into my backpack and let it download all the games I needed. A one-time fee of $10 / £10 to keep my Mac on whilst its lid was shut was worth every penny.
Stash
When it gets to August, many of us are looking to the Christmas holidays as we take our kids to the park or as we play on our PS Vita handhelds on trips. It's why savings apps can be a great way to ensure that you've got enough to splurge on the ones that matter most. Stash, a relatively new iPhone app by Peter Hallander, helps with this by offering several challenges to keep that savings pot going.
It's straightforward in what it offers: you can pick from two challenges or create your own if you sign up for 'Plus' for a one-time fee of $4.99 / £4.99. It's fun to use, but there are a few things I'd like to see in a future update - such as widgets for easy access to your challenges, changing currencies within existing ones, and giving them custom names. But so far, Stash is a fun app that can help you start saving now for Christmas.
Packliste
If you're in the midst of planning a trip away from home, whether it's as a vacation or for work, you're going to be thinking about what to pack. You might have typed a few things into a Notes or to-do app, but you still may forget something. As I'm going to Cologne later this month for Gamescom, I've already found Packliste to be incredibly useful.
Developed by Remo Adams-Schönfeld, this iPhone/iPad app lets you create lists with useful categories that ensure you've got everything with you when you leave. This includes medications, documents, laptop charger, and more. It's available for free but has a one-time 'Premium' purchase of $3.99 / £2.99, or $1.99 / £1.99 during the first 48 hours after setup, which unlocks iCloud sync, multiple lists in one trip, PDF export, and more.
Admittedly, I've always used Things 3 to list anything I needed to pack for a trip, but seeing it as an 'overdue' task would bother me. So using Packliste has been great to keep track of what I'm packing for Gamescom later this month. If you're struggling to do the same, I recommend Packliste to keep those worries of forgetting something to a minimum.
Gigs: Concert Tracker
For 2026, I've tried to attend a fair few concerts, and whilst booking them has been fine, keeping track of them has been a headache. Keeping them in the Calendar app does its job, but when it comes to a potential setlist, directions, and start time, it can add up. This is where Gigs: Concert Tracker comes in, an iPhone app developed by Hidde van der Ploeg & Pol Piella, who have also made NowPlaying and Helm for App Store Connect.
You can add a concert by taking a shot of its web page or poster, or import a file or photo. Gigs then takes the information and puts it into a space where you can tweak the details of the event. To be clear, the app uses Apple's AI Foundation Models to extract the details you give it, but nothing more. What I enjoy from Gigs is how easy it is to take some information about where you'll be going, and it does almost everything for you, along with a suggested set list.
The two devs love music, as their other apps have also clearly proven, and Gigs seems to be a natural progression. It's fun to use, and an upcoming update for iOS 27 will let Siri AI save any related information about the concerts from Messages and Mail, right into Gigs.
Other features like exporting a ticket into Wallet and more detailed stats of the artist and their performances will only make Gigs an essential app if you've got a few concerts coming up. I wouldn't be surprised if the app is bought by Apple someday - it feels like an extension to Apple's Music app. The app is free to download, but there is a monthly fee of $2.99 / £2.99, a yearly fee of $19.99 / £19.99, or a lifetime purchase of $59.99 / £59.99, which unlocks achievements, unlimited storage for photos and videos, and lots more.
Nitelore
It's a disgrace that Sony has abandoned Wipeout, a futuristic racing game originally developed by Psygnosis, for almost a decade now. I remember playing Wipeout 2097 on my original PlayStation console and couldn't believe how fun the game was, along with the fantastic music. However, that's meant other games have appeared since to try and honour the game, such as Nitelore.
Developed by Neil Hodgson, this anti-grav racing game launches on August 15 for compatible iPhones and iPads - it's free to pre-order, but comes with in-app purchases. The developer has featured on App Picks before with Widget Cast, which was covered in June. Already, I'm impressed with what Neil's done here. Set in a neon-futuristic world, you control your ship either with tilt/touch controls or a controller. You can select a bunch of different races, such as Elimination, Grand Prix, and Time Attack, along with being able to use many weapons that could help you win with seconds to spare.
There are optional coins you can buy too, which let you upgrade your racer in various ways, from its stats to how it looks. Having seen Nitelore go from a simple racer to a fully-fledged game that would have fit well during the PlayStation 2 era, I've come to really enjoy the game. I hope it arrives on tvOS someday, as well as a multiplayer function, as I can see Nitelore being a great way to showcase gaming on Apple TV.
One aspect I've come to find is how good apps are in 2026 that haven't been exclusively made with AI. That may sound trite, even obvious to some. But when you see apps clearly made with AI like Claude Code, propped up by AI-made sites that don't tell me the details of the app or the developer, seeing apps not made with AI is incredibly refreshing.
A big reason for App Picks is to showcase apps that you may not see in other outlets, especially in some where vibe-coded apps are being given a pedestal, offering no benefit to the casual user. Instead, let me know about the app you've made. From the why to how it's going to help someone yet to discover it.
